Wink Sink
Summary The Wink Sink is a Salt Family work camp established among a stretch of the wasteland covered in large sinkholes. The sinkholes are filled with the ruins of Wink, a Pre-War town. History Pre-War Wink was an oil town formed in the 1920s with a criminal underworld so extensive that in 1928 a District Judge declared its incorporation election void. It wouldn't be legally reincorporated until 1933 by which time the local government had been reorganized and the railroad passed through it. The oil boom passed and the town entered a slow decline throughout the 1930s to the 1950s until the railroad discontinued service to Wink in 1958. Late in the 20th century sinkholes began forming in the outskirts of the town which were off limits to the general public but of great interest to local geologists. In the 2040s the remaining population was evacuated and their land claimed under eminent domain by the state of Texas because it was determined that the sinkholes would swallow the town. This prediction came to pass in 2058, when several residences were swallowed by the earth. These sinkholes would continue to form intermittently until the Great War. Post-War Wink had not been bombed, but the formation and expansion of sinkholes continued unabated, and in 2083 the entire town had been pulled underground. The area was avoided due to its instability for many years. In 2260 after securing Notrees, the Salt Family sent a surveyor further west. In their exploration, they went spelunking in one of the sinkholes and uncovered signs of entire buildings and infrastructure buried within. The first camp was established before the year's end. The initial group of workers had a run of bad luck with cave-ins and low output, leading Hezekiah Salt and Cyriaque Gautreaux to take a personal hand in the operation. Since they got involved, worker safety and output has remarkably improved. The Rockers came in 2262 and requested permission to make their own camp to establish a radio mast. Hezekiah was amenable, especially since his own radio's reception was so spotty. Economy The workers, who call themselves Sinkers make their living by rappelling off the edge of a sinkhole and digging out all the remains of the destroyed town. They're primarily paid by the pound, but cash awards are given out for any particularly special items. The local Rockers likewise buy anything related to Roy Orbison that comes up. The collected scrap is picked up by a monthly caravan. The other businesses in town are all Salt Family operations and mostly cater to the workers and Rockers, few people have reason to stop in the Wink Sink. Notable Places ''The Immaculate House of the Big O'' The town boasts a Rocker Movement "shrine," tended to by Our Pretty Women of the Big O, a tongue-in-cheek appellation for the group of women who manage a small museum dedicated to Roy Orbison, who grew up in the Pre-War town of Wink. They also tend to a radio mast that boosts the signal from Fort Holly. Their presence has done much to boost the morale of the locals, and Wink boasts greater worker retention than Notrees. The shrine itself is just a shed containing Roy Orbison memorabilia, such as faded album covers, tour posters, and a suggestive pair of dark sunglasses (which is certainly not the pair worn by the singer). Outside and surrounded by a chain-link enclosure is a 12-meter radio mast. The Rockers themselves reside in an adjoining tent decked out with a wood floor and bunk beds. Government As with Notrees, the Wink Sink is more of a business enterprise than a town. Hezekiah Salt and Cyriaque Gautreaux both manage the site, with Hezekiah handling the logistics and transportation and Cyriaque handling the excavations of the notoriously unstable sinkholes. A dozen Roughnecks handle peacekeeping and policing. The main difference between Wink and Notrees, besides Wink having a larger population, is that there are people present who aren't employees of the Salt Family. The Wink Sink is subject to the bylaws of the Midessa Compact. Culture Because workers tend to stick around much longer than their counterparts in other Salt Family salvaging operations, and because of the skills required and the danger involved, the Sinker identity is quite strong. Some of them have made plans to stay in the area even after the Salt Family is done pulling all the "buried treasure," from the earth. Some Sinkers have been pulling out some of the deep earth and have created garden patches on the surface. Hauling sacks of earth out of the ground doesn't get them paid, but some have had luck supplementing their diets with homegrown vegetables. Layout The main campsite is located along a stable patch of TX-115. Notrees is almost 29 miles west and slightly north. Penwell is about 44 miles to the south and east. The camp is comprised of a series of large tents and a few portable structures. A scrap-reinforced fence surrounds the campsite, and flags have been posted to mark the boundaries of stable ground, and the path towards the safe route to TX-302. For several miles to the northwest, west, and south are a series of great sinkholes where the real work takes place. The ground here has mostly settled, but there's always the danger of cave-in and sinkhole expansion. The barbarians of Monahans sometimes stage raids or sneak in to steal things, their lair is almost 24 miles to the south, and a bit to the east. Category:Places Category:Communities Category:Texas